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February 2003 Anticrastination Tip Sheet
What's the opposite of Procrastination?
THE ANTICRASTINATION TIP SHEET
An Idea and Tip Sheet to Blast Away the
Procrastination Habit
From Rita Emmett
Author of THE PROCRASTINATOR'S HANDBOOK
& THE PROCRASTINATING CHILD: A Handbook for Adults to
Help Children Stop Putting Things Off
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QUOTE FOR FEBRUARY
Where there is great love there are always miracles.
--- Willa Cather
Bonus Quote
We are not held back by the love we didn't receive in
the past, but by the love we're not extending in the
present. ---Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love
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RITA'S IN 5 NATIONAL MAGAZINES (& A WEB THING)
Watch for articles that include Rita and one of her
books, either The Procrastinator's Handbook or The
Procrastinating Child in:
February issue of Health Magazine
April issue of Better Homes & Gardens (comes out mid-March)
April 1 issue of Family Circle
April 1 issue of Woman's Day
April issue of Child Magazine (comes out mid-March)
Also, you can see a fun write up of an interview Rita
did with Randy Gilbert at:
http://theinsidesuccessshow.com/Guests/Rita_Emmett.htm
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WANT TO HEAR RITA TALK ABOUT CLUTTER?
At 3pm on Saturday, Feb 22, Rita will have a one-full-
hour radio conversation about ways to end clutter. The
show, "Your Vital Health" with Ingrid Johansson is on
WLTH (1370 AM Radio) in Chicago.
If you are interested and NOT in the Chicago area, it
is also on lots of other radio stations and on cable
radio network. (I don't know what that is, but have
been reassured that it is a good thing).
Want to ask Ingrid about how to hear Rita? Her email
address is: Ingrid@vitalhealthlink.net or call her
at 978-840-0817.
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FEBRUARY MESSAGE
PEOPLE WHO PROCRASTINATE IN BEING KIND TO
THEMSELVES OFTEN BECOME BURN-OUTS
You already know that I'm passionate about helping
people blast away procrastination - not only because
it helps them become more productive personally and
professionally, but also because, once the
procrastination habit is broken, people tend to feel
happier, healthier and more energized.
Ahhhhhh, but I'm on another "mission" as well. You
know how some people can work hard and experience
stress all day long and they never burn-out while
others seem to fall apart over a hangnail?
Well, I am convinced that there are certain secrets
and strategies that people can learn to help make
themselves "Burn-out proof". And the place to begin
is in taking care of yourself.
When I first started talking about this in Keynote
Presentations and Training Sessions, a woman in the
audience told me that she was raised with the Bible
telling her to "Love your neighbor" & she wondered if I
was contradicting that. I reminded her that something
had been omitted.
The Bible says, "Love your neighbor as yourself." That
part that says "...as yourself" tends to be left off
by lots of people. When you think about it, we are
called to love ourselves with a good, healthy,
positive love and THEN we can love our neighbors in
the same way.
Many of us reverse that --- we offer way more kindness
to our neighbors, friends and family (even strangers)
than we do to ourselves. One common example is the way
people handle compliments.
Have you ever heard someone receive a compliment such
as "Nice blouse" and instead of saying, "thank you"
they sputter things like:
"Oh, this old rag? It's been hanging in my closet for eight
years. I got it at a half-price sale."
Do YOU blow away compliments that way?
When we do that we're treating ourselves much more
poorly than we would ever treat others. Could you
imagine yourself saying the same thing to others that
you say to yourself? Would you consider greeting a
friend with "Hi, Mary, I see you're wearing that old
rag again. Isn't that the one that's been hanging in
your closet for eight years? The one you got at the
half-price sale?"
Of course you wouldn't. That would be stupid and rude.
Yet we put-down ourselves in that way all the time.
To avoid burn-out, you have to start with being a
little kinder to yourself, and treating yourself with
good, healthy positive self-love.
And what better time to focus on that but the month of
St. Valentine's Day. Nuts with wishing someone would
offer a loving romantic gesture to you, it's time to
give yourself a valentine.
For months I've been asking people "What do you do to
be kind to yourself when you need a pick-me-up?" It's
a fun question; you might even try asking it of the
people around you. You'll be amazed at some of the
replies. And now, for YOUR pleasure, here's a sample
of some of the replies I received.
24 DO-IT-YOURSELF VALENTINES TO GIVE TO YOURSELF
ANYTIME, NOT JUST IN FEBRUARY.
- Go to a wonderful restaurant either alone or call
up a few friends to join you.
- Spend time on your hobby. Examples: needlework,
model railroad, painting, photography, gardening,
wood carving, sewing, scrap-booking.
- Play a favorite musical instrument (even if you're
not very good at it).
- Stay in your jammies all morning or all day long,
watching TV re-runs, reading totally useless stuff,
or doing nothing.
- Get a massage.
- Go dancing or take dance lessons.
- Buy 5 mystery books at a used bookstore and immerse
yourself in your favorite reading.
- Send out for pizza, eat it in bed watching a super-
duper old movie on TV or reading magazines.
- Spend an afternoon at the Art Institute, or a
favorite museum.
- Send yourself flowers ... with a balloon.
- Take a long relaxing bath but first light some
candles and put on some soothing music. (Even if
it's Rock and Roll that just soothes your soul.)
- Cook your favorite meal and enjoy eating it either
alone or invite someone over.
- Visit the zoo. The animals are lonely and they'll
appreciate seeing you.
- Take some quiet time for a walk and count your
blessings.
- Go to a bookstore, have a fancy coffee and buy a
book.
- Work out at home or at the gym for as long as you
like.
- Take a nature walk or a hike in the woods.
- Play a game with family or friends. (You must know
SOMEBODY who likes the same game you do)
- Go to a movie. A funny one. Laugh your head off.
- Climb the walls at a rock climbing gym.
- Make a long distance call to a friend. (It'll
probably cost less than if you went out to lunch
together.)
- Loaf - guilt-free - because you're giving yourself
the gift of loafing.
And these last two I'll leave in the original wording
just as they were told to me:
- Have cookies and tea while I read something (the
newspaper or a novel) to take me mentally away
from the tasks that are depressing/overwhelming.
I give myself an hour and always put 2-3 cookies
on a plate so I don't eat the whole box.
- The best ... well, I couldn't tell you without
blushing.
(Dear Reader, yes, this one IS from a guy. How
did you ever guess?)
If none of the above appeals to you, use these ideas
to trigger something that you can do for yourself that
you would genuinely enjoy. What is it that "lights you
up"? What recharges your battery? What makes you
happy?
What obstacle is preventing you from doing it? Is
there any way you can overcome that obstacle? Are
you simply making up excuses or (heaven forbid)
procrastinating? Stop putting it off. Do something you
genuinely enjoy.
'Tis the month of kindness and love; 'tis the month of
loving gifts and loving gestures. It's time to give
yourself a valentine. You KNOW you deserve it, don't
you?
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"OHHHHHHHHHH CANADA, MY HOME AND NATIVE LAND...”
Rita will be in Toronto for a book tour including
several TV appearances, a talk, & book signings. More
appearances will be added, but as we go to print, her
schedule so far is:
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29
7:15 to 7:20 AM
CITY TV, Breakfast Television LOCAL
LIVE television interview with Liza Frommer.
11 AM to Noon
ROGERS' DAYTIME REGIONAL
LIVE TV interview with Nat Hunter & Anthony Reagan.
1 to 2 PM
TVO's More to Life PROVINCIAL
LIVE television interview with Mary Ito
THURSDAY, JANUARY 30
9:15 AM
Canada AM NATIONAL
Taped television interview with
Lisa LaFlamme
11 AM
Book Bits NATIONAL
Taped national syndicated radio interview
Afternoon Drop-in signings at downtown
Toronto bookstores
7 PM
Speech and book signing at
Richview Baptist Church
Location: 1548 Kipling Avenue,
Etobicoke
Contact: Darryl Dash
Work: 416.247.8701 ext. 224
Home: 416.503.9083
Pager: 416.945.1500
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Please forward this to anyone you think might be
interested in receiving short, quick tips once a month
to help master the art of doing it now.
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Rita Emmett - Recovering Procrastinator
Author of
THE PROCRASTINATOR'S HANDBOOK:
Mastering the Art of Doing It Now
and
THE PROCRASTINATING CHILD:
A Handbook for Adults to Help Children Stop
Putting Things Off
PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER: Keynotes & Seminars on Increasing
Productivity & Conquering Procrastination; also strategies
to Prevent Burnout such as "While You Take Care of Others,
Who Takes Care of You?" and "Are We Having Any Fun Yet?"
http://www.RitaEmmett.com
Emmett Enterprises, Inc.
2331 Eastview Drive
Des Plaines, IL 60018
Phone: 847-699-9950
So much time, so little to do. Scratch that, reverse it!
--- Willie Wonka
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